For years, the finance profession has been quietly transforming. Now, with the rapid advance of AI, that transformation has accelerated and it’s forcing a fundamental rethinking of what it means to work in FP&A.

But contrary to the more sensationalist headlines, this is not a story about robots replacing finance teams. It’s about something far more nuanced and far more exciting.

The rise of AI is reshaping roles, not eliminating them. It’s changing how value is created, what skills matter most, and how professionals at every level can adapt to stay relevant.

In short: this is the era of the great finance upskilling.

The shift from displacement to reinvention

Let’s address the elephant in the room: job loss anxiety. It’s understandable. AI systems can already generate reports, analyse variances, and build forecasting models faster than a human ever could. So what’s left for finance professionals to do?

Plenty. Just not the same things as before.

The truth is, FP&A teams were never meant to spend the bulk of their time consolidating spreadsheets and reconciling data sources. These were bottlenecks, not value drivers. AI is helping eliminate them, and that should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat.

What’s emerging is a new division of labour: one where machines handle the repeatable, rules-based tasks, and humans double down on the uniquely human ones: strategic thinking, contextual judgement, and business partnering.

New skills for a new FP&A reality

To thrive in this new landscape, finance professionals will need to expand their toolkit. From our experience here at Apliqo, here are five skill domains rising in importance:

1. Data literacy.
   AI doesn’t remove the need to understand data, but it certainly amplifies it. FP&A professionals must be comfortable working with large, messy datasets, understanding how models are trained, and interpreting outputs critically. You don’t need to become a data scientist. But you do need to know how to frame the right questions, spot flawed assumptions, and translate data into business language.

   
   

2. Scenario thinking.
   One of AI’s greatest strengths is simulating multiple futures quickly. But someone still has to define the inputs, evaluate the scenarios, and recommend a course of action. That’s where human judgement becomes critical. Finance professionals need to be able to balance quantitative rigour with qualitative insight. And this can only be achieved by understanding the business context and asking “what if” in meaningful ways.

   
   

3. Communication and storytelling.
   The best insights are useless if they don’t drive action. In a world of AI-generated dashboards and predictive analytics, the ability to simplify complexity and influence stakeholders is more vital than ever. That means building communication skills: crafting a narrative around the numbers, adapting your message to different audiences, and using data visualisation to support your argument rather than overwhelm it.

   
   

4. Cross-functional fluency.
   AI tools will increasingly sit across departments like sales, supply chain, HR, and marketing. FP&A must act as a connector, understanding these domains well enough to engage in strategic conversations. This requires empathy, curiosity, and the willingness to step outside the traditional finance bubble.

   
   

5. Technology leverage.
   While not every finance professional needs to code, those who understand how to use modern tools will have a major advantage. Knowing what’s possible (and what’s not) helps bridge the gap between business needs and technical solutions. Power users will become indispensable.

From number-crunchers to value interpreters

In many ways, AI is forcing FP&A to finally live up to its strategic promise.

Historically, finance teams have been valued for accuracy and efficiency – delivering clean reports and reliable forecasts. But accuracy is increasingly becoming table stakes. What matters now is interpretation: what does the data mean for our business, and what should we do about it?

That’s the new frontier of value creation in FP&A. And it’s where AI actually gives finance professionals more leverage—not less.

The gift of time: moving up the value chain

One of the most underappreciated benefits of AI in finance is time. By automating data collection, cleaning, and aggregation, AI can give back hours and sometimes entire days of productive time each month. What finance professionals choose to do with that reclaimed time will define their careers.

Some will cling to old ways of working, filling the space with marginal improvements to reports. Others will seize the opportunity to get closer to the business: to sit in on product meetings, run real-time scenario models, or prepare insights for board-level decisions.

FP&A doesn’t have to wait for a “seat at the table” anymore. AI clears the way to earn it – if you are ready to step up.

Practical steps to evolve your role

So how can finance professionals prepare, in real terms, for an AI-augmented future? We’re going to be discussing exactly this at the upcoming Executive Finance Summit (more details below) but for now - here are five pragmatic steps:

1. Map your current tasks to value.
   Look at what you spend your time on. Which tasks are routine, manual, or repetitive? Which ones directly influence business decisions? This is your personal upskilling roadmap. Aim to reduce time on low-value work and grow your capacity in strategic areas.
   
   

2. Build your tech confidence.
   You don’t need to become an engineer. But you should explore the tools your organisation is investing in. Attend internal demos, take a free online course in AI for finance, or partner with your IT team to pilot a use case. Understanding how the tools work is the first step to making them work for you.

   
   

3. Strengthen your business relationships.
   Now is the time to deepen your commercial understanding. Sit in on marketing or operations reviews. Ask product managers about their goals and constraints. The more embedded you are in the business, the more valuable your insights become.

   
   

4. Join the learning conversation.
   AI is evolving fast. No one has all the answers. But by joining the conversation through webinars, peer groups, and industry events, you can stay ahead of the curve. The Executive Finance Summit, which Apliqo is co-hosting, is a perfect example: a forum for finance leaders to exchange ideas, explore emerging tools, and shape the future of the function together.

   
   

5. Reframe your mindset.
   Perhaps the most important shift is psychological. AI is not here to replace you, it’s here to augment you. But to benefit, you need to be open to change, willing to experiment, and eager to grow. That’s not always easy. But it’s what will separate the static from the strategic in this next era of FP&A.

Looking ahead: a pragmatic optimism 

The future of finance will not be automated out of existence but it will be different. Success in FP&A will increasingly hinge on a professional’s ability to work alongside technology, interpret complex environments, and create business value that machines alone cannot. 

This won’t happen overnight. And not every tool labelled “AI” will live up to its promise. But the direction of travel is clear: finance is becoming more human, not less.

At Apliqo, we’re committed to helping finance teams navigate this transition with confidence. From powerful analytics platforms built on IBM Planning Analytics, to real-world insights from finance leaders around the globe, we believe the best way to prepare for the future is to build it together.

That’s why we’re proud to be co-hosting the Executive Finance Summit on the 25th of June in Zurich. It’s an event dedicated to exploring these exact questions: Where is FP&A headed? What skills will matter most? And how can leaders shape a smarter, more strategic finance function?

You can apply to attend here.  We hope you’ll join us!